MILF Podcast - Moms I'd Like to Follow

031 - Rebel with Applause with JoAnne Astrow

Jennifer welcomes a very special MILF, JoAnne Astrow. JoAnne is
the mother of actor Claudia Lonow, who also appeared as a guest on
a previous episode. With a career in show business spanning over 50
years, JoAnne has proven to be the true embodiment of a rebel and
pioneer. Raised in a household of humble means, JoAnne didn’t
receive much support from her family when she decided to pursue
acting. However, that did not deter her from blossoming into a
hilarious stand-up comedian and actor over the course of her
career. JoAnne has faced many challenges along her journey and
always seems to combat them with a lively personality and an
unparalleled love for life.

In this episode, Jennifer and JoAnne talk all about her career
as an actor, stand-up comedian, and talent manager. A lifelong New
Yorker, JoAnne recalls how difficult it was to make the move to Los
Angeles. However, it proved to be one of the best things that could
have happened to her and her daughter, Claudia. JoAnne speaks to
the positive and negative impacts of living through the women’s
movement and sexual revolution of the ‘60s. She discusses what life
was like for women before the landmark Supreme Court decision on
Roe v. Wade. JoAnne talks about her love of comedy and the
struggles she faced as a woman doing standup in the 1980s. Finally,
JoAnne tells the story of how she met and fell in love with her
husband of fifty years, Mark Lonow. In addition to being life
partners, JoAnne and Mark also work together in the entertainment
industry. They now invest in plays, one of which, The Prom,
recently opened on Broadway and is getting rave reviews.

About the Podcast

Jennifer Tracy interviews moms she admires about how they straddle the jobs of motherhood, entrepreneurship, and womanhood in general. These moms are breaking the molds of motherhood past and trailblazing a new path for us to follow.